By Arun Kumar Das
New Delhi, Dec 3 (BVI) : Indian Railways is planning to introduce an OTP-based Tatkal reservation system to make the facility more convenient for common passengers and prevent misuse of the system.
As per the plan, within the next few days, this OTP-based Tatkal reservation system at counters will be implemented for all remaining trains.
First, the Railways introduced Aadhaar-based authentication for online Tatkal ticketing in July 2025. Then it was followed by an OTP-based online reservation system for all general reservations on the first day of booking in October 2025.
Both initiatives have been successfully adopted by common users, ensuring greater transparency and convenience in the reservation process.
The Railways initiated a pilot project for an OTP-based Tatkal reservation system for tickets booked at reservation counters on November 17, 2025.
As of now, the system has been extended to a total of 52 trains. Under the system, when booking a tatkal ticket at a reservation counter, the passenger receives an OTP on the mobile number provided in the reservation form. The ticket is confirmed only after successful OTP verification.
The initiative is aimed at curbing misuse of the tatkal facility and ensuring that genuine passengers have better access to high-demand tickets. This marks a significant step towards enhancing transparency, passenger convenience, and security in railway ticketing. (BVI)
